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The Practice of Prayer (Luke 11:1-4)  | Prayer Series (K)

This Sunday as a congregation we will explore different categories of prayer and put them into practice. This passage should be broken into sections with each section explained and then opportunity given for the church to pray.

Prayer Points:

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The Priority of Prayer (Colossians 4:2-4) | Prayer Series (K)

Paul writes in Colossians 4:2 that we need to be devoted to prayer. Why is prayer so critical? This passage offers us two reasons: First because if God calls us to pray, we should obey him. Second, as Paul makes clear in the verses that follow, our mission and the salvation of lost people depends on it. Prayer is a constant reminder of our dependence on God and a constant confession of His ability.

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In Conclusion (1 Corinthians 16:13-24) | Imperfect Series (K)

Paul’s final exhortation to the Corinthians in vs. 13 and 14 act as a summary and bookended to all that Paul has had to say to the Corinthians: “Be Watchful, Stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong, let all that you do be done in love.” Paul reminds them again of the importance of discernment, he encourages them to hold fast to the faith, to be brave and strong, but undergirding all of this most be a Spirit of love and unity.

Sermon Notes:

• Being a Follower of Christ must be a way of life.
• Four Summary Practices for Every Believer (vs. 13-14):
  • Discernment
  • Faith
  • Grit
  • Love
• Because we are imperfect, we need a perfect Saviour. (vs. 21-24)

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Learning To Put Our Plans In Gods Hands (1 Corinthians 16:5-12) | Imperfect Series (K)

This small section points out that it’s good and valuable to plan. Ministry often requires us to think ahead, to plan, to strategize. But, we must always recognize that our plans are secondary to God’s plans. Make your plans, but then place your plans in God’s hands.

Sermon Notes:

• We can hold too tightly or too loosely to our plans.
• We should create plans that bring glory to God.
• We must place our plans in God’s hands and trust Him in the process.
• Three examples of trusting God with our future:
  • Trust God when our plans change (vs. 5-9)
  • Trust God when things are tough (vs. 10-11)
  • Trust God when His will conflicts with our will (vs. 12)
• Trusting God with our future is an essential act of faith.
• What do we do when we don’t know what to do?
  • Listen to wise counsel.
  • Listen to the Holy Spirit. 

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The Death of Death (Darryl Siemens) | Imperfect Series

These are 9 of the most encouraging verses in scripture. Jesus has defeated sin and death. If we are in Christ death no longer needs to hold any fear for us. Because Jesus has defeated death, no matter what this mortal life may bring, we can be “steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work because we know that our labour in the Lord is not in vain.”

Sermon Notes:

• The fear that plagues us all: death.
• Receive victory and inheritance – not fear and death (v. 57, 50)
• Three problems of fearing death

1. 1. Deny the power of Christ (v. 57)
   2. Deny the security of Christ (v. 51-52)
   3. Lose the motivation to work for Christ (v. 58) 

• And yet… loss still hurts (v. 54-55)
• When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35)
• There is hope in the mystery of the gospel (v. 51) 
• In this life – live for Christ (v. 58)
• For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21) 

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New Bodies For a New Heaven and New Earth (1 Corinthians 15:35-49) | Imperfect Series (K)

If we have received the forgiveness that has come through Christ death on the cross one day, we will also receive a new and imperishable body like Jesus did at his resurrection. The hope of the Christian is not a disembodied existence in the clouds, instead is a new, imperishable, physical body enjoying eternity with God in a new heaven and new earth.

Sermon Notes:

• We are called to believe the tangible reality of Jesus and the resurrection. (vs. 35-36)
• Resurrection means we don’t hate our bodies. (vs. 37-41)
• Resurrection means we don’t worship our bodies. (vs. 42-48)
• When we get worship wrong, it leads to hate. But when we get worship right, it leads to love.
• The true power of the resurrection is renewal. (vs. 49)     
• Practicing the way of renewal starts now.
• Five ways to use our bodies to engage our hearts for worship: 

1. 1. Kneeling in Prayer
   2. Raising Hands in Worship
   3. Fasting
   4. The Lord’s Supper
   5. Baptism 

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About Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11 ) | Imperfect Series (K)

Despite the different gifts Christians may have, despite the different ministries we may be called to all those gifts and ministries are given with one mission in mind that name of Jesus would be lifted high and that he would be proclaimed as Lord and that his church would be strengthened. Every Christian has been given a gift and those gifts have been given by God and distributed according this His will.

Sermon Notes:

• We need to see the bigger picture. (vs. 1)
• Everything good in our lives is the result of the Holy Spirit. (vs. 3-6)
• Anything less than the Holy Spirit leads us astray. (vs. 2)
• We need to become more comfortable being made uncomfortable by the Holy Spirit.
• All of us are uniquely empowered by the Holy Spirit. (vs. 7-11) 

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Taking the Lord’s Supper Seriously (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) | Imperfect Series (K)

Partaking in the Lord’s supper together is an essential part of Christian worship and community. It is a regular reminder of the foundation of our faith, the forgiveness and grace we have received through Christ’s death for us. In taking it we confess our communion together as a church family and our communion with God through Christ. In light of this, before partaking in the Lord’s supper, we should always take time to examine ourselves making sure that we are in right relationship with God and with each other.

Sermon Notes:

• All of us crave to be deemed worthy.
• Because of Christ, we are no longer unworthy to approach a holy God. (vs. 27)
• When we take time to seriously examine ourselves, we should be humbled. (vs.28) 
• Three ways Jesus makes us worthy:

1. 1. Jesus invites us to be redeemed (vss. 23)
   2. Jesus invites us to practice the spiritual act of remembrance (vs. 24-25)
   3. Jesus invites us to be united with him (vs. 25)

• Our unity with Christ must be reflected in our unity with each other (vs. 17-22)
• Out of his love for us, God will confront us (vs. 32)
• Through the Lords’ Supper we must…
  •       … pursue unity in the church (vs. 33-34)
  •       … pursue unity with God (vs. 26) 

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Hair, Head Coverings, and Headship (1 Corinthians 11:2-16) | Imperfect Series (K)

This may be one of the most difficult and controversial passages in all of the bible. There is a lot of debate and a lot of disagreement over what Paul is saying here and even more so about how relevant what Paul is saying to the Corinthians is to us in Canada in 2023. I think at least a few things are clear from this passage:

#1) As both image bearers of God and followers of Jesus our actions can bring either shame or honour to our saviour and our God.

#2) While both men and women are image-bearers we bear that image in distinct ways. Contrary to our culture there are distinctions between the sexes. Contrary to Roman/Greek culture there is no distinction in our value.

#3) We need to figure out what it looks like in Canada in 2023 to bring honour to God as his image-bearers, both male and female, through the way we worship.

Sermon Notes:

• There is a debate around defining “men” and “women” – and this is nothing new.
• The Corinthian church struggled with how men and women should worship.
• As men and women, we must worship God in ways that are guided by Scripture and sensitive to culture.
• 1 Corinthians 1:2-16 is a difficult passage, but we shouldn’t shy away from difficult passages of Scripture.
• What this passage IS NOT saying:

1. 1. Men shouldn’t wear hats to church, and women should wear hats.
   2. Men can’t have long hair.
   3. All women must submit to all men.

• What this passage IS saying:

1. 1. Our actions can bring honour or shame to God.
   2. Men and women honour God in distinct ways.
   3. Men and women have equal value.

• How we view men and women and how we worship as a church will be a testimony to the world. 

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Don’t Be Idle About Your Idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-22) | Imperfect Series (K)

Paul warns the church in Corinth about the incredible danger of idolatry by reminding them of the story of the exodus. They were a people who had been saved by the blood of a lamb. They had experienced a baptism which had buried their past and drowned their enemies in the deep. They had their own equivalent of the Lord’s Table where they “all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.” yet despite all God had provided for them they fell into idolatry and ultimately that idolatry led to their destruction. If we are tempted to believe that a similar fate would never befall us Paul makes it very clear that the temptation to idolatry is a constant one, but he also promises us that God in his grace will also give us all we need to escape it.

Sermon Notes:

• Don’t Be Idle About Your Idols (1 Corinthians 10:1-22)
• What does it mean to fall into temptation?
• Warning – Don’t be idle about your idols.
• Your past success doesn’t determine your future success. (vs. 1-5)
• Your past failure doesn’t need to determine your future failure. (vs. 6-11)
• Two things you can count on:
  •  Count on God’s grace (vs. 13)
  • Count on your weakness (vs. 12, 14-22)